I woke up this morning, and almost panicked because I realized; my first exam of the spring semester was today and I was not prepared. The amount of fear that rushed through my body was akin to the feeling of three energy drinks kicking in simultaneously (yes, I have felt this, and no, I do not recommend it!) I was struggling with adjusting back to college and all of the responsibilities to go with it. I am not the only person who feels this way. For many, coming back to college after a long break can be stressful. We find it hard to slip back into the swing of things. Mornings are cold, your hand is cramping up from not being used to writing again, and everyone, even the professors, seem frazzled. So, for those of you who are finding it hard to meet that daily grind, here are a few tips to help you ace this semester!
1. Clean your room Packing up to go home over break is always hectic, and usually ends with you coming back to a giant mess with clothes thrown everywhere, old fast food in the corner, and your desk looking like the extra hard page in a ‘Where’s Waldo’ book. While it is tempting to just throw all of your things back into the tornado that is your room and forget about it for awhile, this can lead to the mess being overlooked for the rest of the semester. While living in a pigsty is easy, this can lead to poor health, and severe disorganization. So, take a breather for now, but plan a day where you are going to be totally dedicated to cleaning your room! For extra incentive to get this done, make a bet with your friend or roommate that your room will be clean by the end of that day.
2. Be aware of due dates Spring semester always seems to start suddenly, and with that, due dates start piling up. So, in order to keep yourself from being bogged down with work after you forgot about five assignments being due in five different classes, go through your syllabus and write down when each assignment is due. And, if you are someone who also forgets to look at your planner, enter that information into your calendar on your phone instead, with notifications for each thing starting two days before its due. That way you won’t have to write a three page essay three hours before it’s due!
3. Meet up with friends If you’re like me, you might live far away from all the friends you have made at school, and chances are you didn’t get to hang out over break. So, talk with your squad, and set up a fun day where all of you hang out, catch up, and do fun things together, like exploring the town or binging a new show together on Netflix! Remember, life is short, and college is shorter, so don’t let school, relationships, or some mild inconvenience like not sharing a class or being in the same dorm hall get in the way of making lasting memories with your friends!
4. Restock Whether in an apartment, or a dorm, most students have a fridge or snack stash in their place. And chances are, either your fridge or snack den is empty, or has created a new ecosystem that could be studied in the name of science. So, to avoid an excessive amount of eating out, go to the store and restock. To reduce the random items that somehow wind up in your cart, make a grocery list with the items you need.
5. Relax Committing to everything and everyone can be stressful, so if you start feeling overwhelmed, pick a day where you don’t have classes or work that has to be done, and dedicate it to yourself. Read a book, watch that movie you have been wanting to see, or just lay back and listen to some sweet tunes while you rest and recharge. Basically, if you have something that you’ve been wanting to do, do it. Remember, even though exploring somewhere or doing something with your friends or partner is fun, you are the only one who will want to do everything you want to do.
That does it for these tips, but keep in mind that if you are struggling a lot, reaching out to your friends, family, or even one of your professors can be really helpful too! So, take care everyone, and kick this semester in the face!
By: Logan Boone